Brake for centrifugal extractors.



D. J. PHILLIPS.

BRAKE FOR CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTORS.

' APPLICATION FIL'ED FEB.8.1915.

Patented June 20, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET weagr:

D. I. PHILLIPS.

BRAKE FOIR CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTORS. APPLICATION FILED 8.8.1915.

Patented June 20, 1916.

' the spindle which supports the basket.

DAVID J. PHILLIPS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 TROY LAUNDRY MACHINERY @OMPANY, LTD., A CORPORATION 015 NEW 'YQRJK.

BRAKE FOR, CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pat-em tted June 2Q, 1916.

Application filed February 8, 1915. Serial No. 6,916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID J. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes for Centrifugal Extractors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to centrifugal extractors, and more particularly to brakes for such machines.

It is desirable that the rotating basket of a power-driven centrifugal machine should be quickly stopped when the power is disconnected, in order that the articles which I have been treated may be removed and other articles placed therein, without loss of time to the operator. It has been usual heretofore to provide centrifugal extractors with brakes comprising a shoe adapted to frictionally engage one side of a drum fixed to This type of brake has proven objectionable, as it exerts a pressure upon one side only of the spindle, which results in excessive wear upon the bearings of the spindle. This objection is increased by the practice of the operators of such machines in standing upon the treadle which operates the brake,-in an endeavor to stop the rotation of the basket as quickly as possible.

' The primary object of my invention is to provide a brake for stopping the rotation of the basket of a centrifugal extractor, the

operation of which will not increase the wear upon the bearings of the spindle which supports the basket.

A further object of my invention is to provide a brake for baskets of centrifugal machines which in operation will exert a uniform pressure upon opposite sides of the spindle so as not to disturb the concentric position of the spindle in its bearings.

A still further object of my invention 'is to provide a brake for centrifugal extractors, and for similar machines, which will be simple in construction, efficient in operation, and durable in use.

My invention will be more fully disclosed hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and, in Which,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a centrifugal extractor provided with my im-- proved brake, parts of the extractor casing being broken away for the purpose of clearer illustration; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and, Fig. 3 is aneniarged sectional view on the line 33 of Similar reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings. y

Reference letter A designates the casing or curb of the extractor, upon a base B The casing, legs, and base are preferably formed in an integral casting.

C designates a vertical spindle, upon the upper end of which is supported a perforated basket D, which is inclosed within the casing and isadapted to contain the articles to be treated. The spindle is supported upon a -bearing E, which is mounted upon a horizontal plate I), located within the lower ends of the legs a and preferably formed as an integral part of the casting. Fixed to the spindle C is a drum F, open at its bottom and surrounding the upwardly projecting portion of the bearing E. The lower portion F of the drum forms a pulleyto be engaged by a driving belt (not shown) forv imparting rotary movement to the basket. The portion F of the drum immediately above the pulley F forms a cylindrical braking surface.

G designates a post mounted upon the base plate 6 in any suitable manner, as by means of screws 9 extending through oppositely projecting feet at the bottom of the post into engagement with the base plate. The upper end of the post G is provided with a laterally projecting lug G upon which are pivotally supported the overlapped ends of two brake levers H and H extending around opposite sides of the cylindrical braking surface F Any suitable means is provided for pivotally connecting the brake levers with the post, such for instance as a A. Ihvertical screw H, which extends through vertically alined holes in the overlapped ends of the brake levers and engages a screw 7 threaded opening in the lug G on the post.

,The brake levers are provided with pockets k and 72. respectively, in which are seated faces of the brake shoes are curved to conbraking surface F form to the curvature of the cylindrical The brake shoes are located at diametrically opposite sides of .the

spindle C. A rod L extends loosely through horizontally alining holes in the brake levers in the opposite sides "of the cylindrical brak-- ing surfaces from the post G. Springs L and L surround the rod L on opposite sides of the brake levers against which they respectlvely bear. The outer ends of the springs engage washers Z and Z surrounding the opposite ends of the rod L and retained thereon by the nuts Z. The free ends of the brake levers are provided with opposed recesses m and m in which are sup ported almed friction rollers M and M.

N designates a bell crank lever fulcrurned between a pair of ears 0 on a plate 0 fixed to the outer surface of the leg at opposite the post G. One arm of the bell crank lever projects through a hole 0 in the plate 0, and through a registering hole in the leg a uponwhich the plate is mounted. On the inner end of the said arm of the bell crank lever is mounted a wedge n vertically alining with the space between the ant-ifriction rollers M and M The arm of the bell crank lever N, which depends outside of the plate 0 is provided with a laterally projecting treadle N P designates a second bell crank lever fulcrumed between the pair of ears p on the plate 0 below the bell crank lever N. The upwardly projecting arm of the bell crank lever P is loosely connected with the depending arm of the bell crank lever N. The other arm of the bell crank lever P projects outwardly from its fulcrum in the form of a treadle P A lug O is carried by the inner surface of the plate O adjacent the top The operation of my improved brake is as thereof, and projects through'the opening in the leg (1 to a position above the free ends of thebrake levers H and H and serves as a stop to resist the tendency-of the free ends of the 'brake levers to'be forced u'p- I wardly by the wedge when it moves upwardly between the opposed antifriction rollers M and M. 1

follows; lWhen -the parts are inthepos'ition rs howli in the drawings, the sp L retain theopposedbrake shoes L an cylindrical braking surface F When it is desired to release the brakes in order to let the basket rotate, a downward pressure is applied to the lever N which oscillates the bell crank lever N' and forces the wedge 11. upwardly between the opposed antifriction rollers M and. M thereby separating the free ends of the brake levers and moving the brake shoes away from each other and out of contact with the braking surfaces. The opposite sides of the wedge n are recessed, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the wedge will be retained between the antifriction rollers by the tension of the springs L and L When it is desired to stop the rotation of the basket, downward pressure is applied to the treadle P which through its connection with the bell crank lever N oscillates the latter in a direction to move the wedge n downwardly from between the antifriction rollers, thereby permitting the springs L and L to'move the free ends of the brake levers toward each other and apply the brake shoes against the cylindrical braking surface F From the foregoing description it will be observed that in the operation of my improved brake pressure is applied uniformly to opposite sldes of the spindle, thereby maintaining the spindle concentrically within its bearing and avoiding any wear on the bearing, which would occur if the braking pressure were applied only at one side of the spindle. It will be further seen that the tension of the springs determine the brak ng action, so that a too great braklng action cannot be exerted by the operator. The braking action may be adjusted as desired, by adjusting the tension of the springs L and L by means of nuts on the ends of the rod L.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness and as being embodied in certain precise forms, yet it will be understood that I do not wish to limlt myself thereto unduly, or any more than is pointed out in the claims. Onthe contrary, I contemplate all proper changes in form, construction and arrangement, the omission of immaterial parts, and the substitution of lit equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

I claim 1. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotary basket, of a spindle upon which said basketis' supported, a braking drum fixed to said spin le, a brake shoe movably supported'in cooperative relation to said drum,-a spring operatively connected rotation of said spindle, ing said shoes away from each other, a lesaid lever m a direction such position, a treadle for actuating said mechanism, and a second treadle for releasing said spring and permitting it to force the brake shoe against the drum and for simultaneously effecting the movement of said first treadle into position to again actuate said mechanism.

2. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotary basket and a supporting spindle therefor, of brake shoes on opposite sides of said spindle, springs operatively connected with said shoes for moving the same toward each other to stop the a wedge for forcver carrying said wedge, a treadle for oscillating saidlever in a direction to actuate said wedge to separate the shoes, and a second treadle operatively connected to said lever to move said wedge into a posi-' tion to permit said springs to move the brake shoes toward each other.

3. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotary basket, of a spindle upon which said basket is supported, a

braking druan carried concentrically around a brake shoe movably supa lever for moving said shoe away from said drum, a spring operatively connected with said lever to oscillate the same in a direction to disengage the brake shoe from said drum, a foot treadle for oscillating to compress said spring, means for retaining said lever in aposition to hold said shoe out of contact with said drum, and a second foot treadle to release said spring and permit the said spring to force said shoe against said drum.

4:. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotary basket, of a spindle upon which said basket is supported, a braking drum fixed to said spindle, a brake shoe movably supported in cooperative relation to said drum, a lever to which said a brake shoe'is secured, a spring operatively connected with said lever to move the same in-adirection to disen age said shoe from said drum, and mec anism comprising alternately operable treadles to respectively .move said lever against the tension of said spring into brake releasing position and to release said lever to permit said spring rake-applying position.

5. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotary basket and a sup porting spindle therefor, of a cylindrical braking surface on said spindle, levers on opposite sides of said spindle, brake shoes carried by said levers, means for moving said levers toward each other "to force said shoes against said brakin surface, a wedge for engaging the free en of said levers to move and retain them apart and thereby dlsengage sald shoes from said brakmg surface, a lever carrying said wedge, a treadle 6. In a centrifugal extractor, the com-' bination with a rotary basketand a supporting spindle therefor, of a cylindrical braking surface on said spindle, curved levers extending around opposite sides of said spindle, a fulcrum upon which one end of each of said levers is pivotally supported, brake shoes carried by said levers, springs engaging said levers on the opposite sides of said spindle from said fulcrum for forcing said levers toward each other, a bell'crank lever having a path of movement at right angle to the path of movement of said brake levers, a wedge carried by said bell crank lever and adapted to be forced between the free ends of said brake levers to separate the same against the tension of said springs, and a treadle for oscillating said bell crank lever.

7. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing comprismg supporting legs and projecting upwardly from supported, a pair of levers extending around opposite sides of said spindle, brake shoes carried by said levers, a braking surface carried by said spindle intermedlate of the brake shoes on said levers, means for automatically forcing said brake levers toward each other to apply said brake shoes against said braking-surface, a bell crank lever fulcrumed upon the outer surface of one of the supporting legs of said casing and having one arm thereof pro ecting 1nwardly below the free ends of sad brake levers, a wedge carried by the end of said inwardly projecting arm of said bell crank lever, and means for oscillatmg said bell crank lever to force said wedge upwardly between said brake levers to separate the same and disengage said brake shoes 'from the intermediate'braking surface.

8. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing comprlsmg legs projecting upwardly from a base, of a rotary basket within said casing, a spindle for supporting said basket, a cylindrlcal braking surface on said spindle, a pair of brake levers extending around opposite sldes of said spindle, brake shoes carried by sald levers to engage opposite sides of said brake surface, springs engaging the free ends of said brake levers to force the same toward each other and thereby engage said shoes supported by the inner end of said lever below the free ends of said brake levers,

and means for oscillating said lever to 10 move said wedge upwardly between the free ends of said brake levers. m

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

DAVID J. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

C. M. LEARY,

J. J. HoERGER. 

